India is taking centre stage on the global map. A recent joint report by KPMG and real estate body NAREDCO has revealed that the country's real estate and construction sector is expected to be the third largest globally by 2030, contributing over 15 per cent to the country's GDP.

This year is a landmark for Malaysia for more than one reason. It marks both the 60th year of Malaysian independence and the 60th year of formal India-Malaysia diplomatic relations, 'which have been strong and friendly since the establishment of diplomatic relationships in 1957,' says Mazlan Harun, Consul/Trade Commissioner, Consulate General of Malaysia.

The target: To reach a green footprint of 1,000 crore sq ft in India and become the world's No. 1 by 2022. And according to scorecard of the Indian Green Building Council, we have achieved 4.63 billion sq ft to date.

These words perfectly defined the 12th CONSTRUCTION WORLD Architect and Builder (CWAB) Awards, set across a purple backdrop at Hotel Four Seasons in Mumbai on August 23. The winners' Wall of Fame with the winners' autographs only added to the glamour.

Selecting India's Top Architects and Builders has never been an easy task. The who's who of the architecture and builder industry was selected first through a perception-based survey, followed by stringent jury deliberation

The CWAB awards unveiled a new category last year to award excellence: NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS. Going by this year's theme - GLOCAL: Thinking Global, Acting Local - the aim was to recognise and award landmark and unique projects from across the country.

'Demonetisation de-grew the industry by 40 per cent in November, 15 per cent in December and 3 per cent in January,' says Anup Bhargava, Product Group Head-Air-Conditioners, Godrej Industries. 'February was more or less flat.